Klopp ponders leaving Shaqiri out of Red Star trip
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is considering omitting Xherdan Shaqiri from his Champions League squad in Belgrade this week.
Klopp will confirm the travelling party today and is yet to make a final decision, but he is leaning towards leaving the Swiss midfielder on Merseyside. He is concerned Shaqiri’s inclusion may be a distraction given the hostile reaction he has received from Serbian fans.
Leaving Shaqiri behind ensures the fixture does not become embroiled in a political debate. Shaqiri is sure to be targeted by Red Star fans if he appears tomorrow.
The bad blood goes back to the World Cup. The 27-year-old was born in Kosovo, a state whose independence is not recognised by the Serbian government.
When Shaqiri made a point of celebrating his heritage – he wore the Kosovo flag on his boot when playing for Switzerland – he was accused of provocation.
Although Red Star fans were banned from Anfield when the teams met a fortnight ago, those who found their way in jeered whenever Shaqiri took possession. It was a preview for what would be in store tomorrow.
Shaqiri said after the last Champions League game he had no concerns about travelling.
Liverpool go to Belgrade with Klopp upbeat despite falling two points behind Manchester City in the title race, the manager believing too much is being read into the outcome of games at this stage. “Your job is to make a final of each game so if we lose at Arsenal then the whole start was average or worse,” he said.
“If we lose at Belgrade then it’s football, it can happen. We have to have to look at that a bit calmer. It’s important on Tuesday. It will not be a children’s party, it will be tough and we have to be ready for that.
“But it’s our life, it’s not a problem, we take it and analyse and go in the next game, find the right lineup and everything is good.” me,” Anderson, 25, said. “That was really important for my adaptation and to be able to show my game.”
He arrived from Lazio where he had just endured an injury-hit campaign and a falling-out with manager Simone Inzaghi. Before Saturday, he had scored only one goal and completed the full 90 minutes just five times for his new club.
West Ham supporters may not always be the most patient, but Anderson was given time and repaid the compliment. “The fans here are incredible, I’ve never seen anything like that,” he said. “The beginning of the season was hard, I didn’t play well, but they kept supporting me. That stayed in my heart.”
He was denied further glory by a spectacular headed goal-line clearance from Burnley’s Ben Mee and also grazed overworked goalkeeper Joe Hart’s post.
Sean Dyche’s men have now conceded 13 times in three matches and while succumbing to the Manchester City and Chelsea goal machines may be one thing, much of Saturday’s damage was self-inflicted.
None more so than James Tarkowski’s 11th-minute brain-fade in which he was caught cold in front of his penalty area by the predatory Marko Arnautovic.
Burnley battled back twice, with against-the-run-of-play goals by Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Chris Wood, but were undone by continuing systemic defensive lapses.
“We are conceding too many goals. I’m not too sure what the problem is, but we have to fix that,” Gudmundsson said.